Process and apparatus for production of coke at a low temperature



A. E. HELBIG PROCESS AND A PARATUS POE. PRCDUCTION OF COKE AT A LOW TEMPERATURE Filed Feb. 16. 1921 Q jli/eihfof 7- 77 7 7 AfiHefbig a coal is treated in a retort heated outside and 40 ent invention utilizes both external an Patenteddune 10, 1924.

sfrarrs's ALBIN IBERTI-IOLD HELBIG, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION or coma AT A Low TEMPERATURE.

Application filed February 16, 1921. Serial No. 445,545.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONSJQF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L, 1313.)

T all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBIN BERTHQLD HEL- me, citizen*of' the German Republic, and resident of Berlin, Germany, ha\- anvented 5 certain new and useful Imprc finents in Processes andApparatus for lip luction of Coke at a Low Tempera t re.

The invention has for}. itsob -ect an improvement in the distilling of'fcoal at low temperature, by which-this process can be carried out on a large scale. One of the economic consequences of the War has been increased. importance of the distilling of coal. The distilling at low temperature generates-a coke with more valuable properties than the one obtained at high-temperature. The coke is soft and porous and contains a part of the original volatile matter of the'coal,'especially hydrogen.

- During the process the greatest care must ,be taken not to overheat the material by surpassing the temperatures allowed at the low-temperature-distillation.-

Under the provision of the application the inside. The internal heating is efi'ected by a current of gas, produced by the distillation of thecoal. This gas moves in a closed circuit and from this the superfluous gas is taken away and used as further described.

' The external heating of the rotary drum superhea-ts and ruins in a very'short time the iron shell, unless care is taken to maintain the temperature below the danger point of iron, below 500 to 550 degrees centigrade. The heat-transmission through the shell is limited and therefore also the production of coke or the output of the retort. The resternal heating with the object of increasing the output. .The internal heating must also be carefully done.

If combustiongases would be used for the internal heating, carelessness on the part with the distillation gases and reduce very materially the commercial value of the byproducts. The heating value of the per.- manent gases of the distillation would be lost, as a mixture with the combustion gases would decreas the heating valueto such an extent, that the mixture could not be used any more for combustion purposes.

All these difliculties are avoided by my process. The distillation gases leaving the rotary drum are drawn through the condenser, which condenses the byproducts, while the permanent gases partly return to the retort and partly are burned to generate the necessary heat for theprocess asvhereinafter described:

Onemethod of carrying out the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, by way of example, which is a diagrammatical view of the whole appainto a revolving retort 4. The coal travels forward in the axis of a worm 3 which carries it along. The retort end of the worm connects with the said retort, the joint being well packed so as to make it perefectly tight. The retort revolves in its frame in the usual manner, the rotation is governed by any suitable gear. The retort may lie in a horizontal position or be inclined. Its inclination and the speed at' which it revolves are regulated according to the rate of distillation and in such a way as to ensure, that the coal shall not leave the heated part of the retort before the distillation process is complete. In order that the operation may be carried out satisfactorily, care must be taken, 'that the retort is'well plugged at both ends so that the interior is as tight as possible. With this'end in view the outlet endis provided with a discharge heater. The gases from-the, retort are-exhausted thereby assists in regulating the distillation.

The external heatingo fthe retort is efwork and I by an exhauster"? through the 'pipe :6 and its center.

ture' of noncondensable gases, containing little 'or no oxyg'en; is-; ressed by the ex d ilit 9 and a number of noz'zles9 intothe well ;5,- a little above- The raw coal inithef-receiver must be kept at a sufliciefit he gh to prevent haust'er through the con any air from current of gas.

@The coke collected, at the 'bdatn of the well keepsjthe. installation air tight at that end. The coal gases coming from the condenser ,S'are heate'd'by the heat oIf-thecoke and'jthe otherwise lost-heat of the coke is utilized for the process.

The internal'heating of the retort may be produced by a" current of. gas circulating-in either direction. [By cha ing the spec If, as a, result. of a lack of care, airshould enter the a'pparatus, such air would be removedby the'exhauster. Its oxygen would be burned by the hot boke-inwe11 5.

j: coke falling out of thef retort 1 d is caught in a hopper lOand-forms a barrier 1n the way of the ases to the retort. The gases i passing throng the take and cooling it. ac-

cumulate in the free. space under the'hopper J 1Q, the are drawn by the suction of the fan fthroug the conduit 11,1the inside of the {heating tubes 12 ofa gas heater '13 and the tube 14: into the retort', "The surplus gas is taken away by the by ass 15 and can be used for the generation'o the necessary 'heat in the as heater or for any other purpose. v

e waste gases of the gas heater go through the conduit" 16in the brickwork around the rotary retort and heat the latter from the dutsidei 'lfth'e amount available is not sufficient theneeessary excess of heat I for the externalfiririg can the generated on the fire place shown onthe drawing The advantages of the process are: 1. The increase of the output of the retort.

2. The util means of Jay s in the retort.

I the'circuit; pass through a-condenser -8 surrounded by water or any suitable refrigerant. The mlxization of the waste heat of the Y3. The absolute control ofthe'temperature What I claim' j thepermanent gasesof distillation from the distillation chamber anddividing'said gases percolating through into the "into-twoxpartgfi burning the"first partfof -the s'e gases t superheat the second part,

passing the residual ases of the, combustion I 1. The hereiridescribed, process of coke" production at'low-temperaturein a disti1la-- .tion chamber consisting in"heating bituminous matter in ,theichamber to produce low temperature permanent. ases, withdrawing.

of the first part'toi, 'e chamber to heatthe cent products passingvfrom the chamber and conducting theseig'a'ses' to the inside-of the chamber for heating it interiorly;

2. Apparatus for coke production at a low 11% temperature com rising a revolving retortv which th exhau ster; revo ves'the veloc ty of the gas curreiitv can be inodified at wil having a :coke ischarge fend, -means' for heating the outside of the retort, means. for

ingcoe; from "the discharge end of the, retort, a pipe connected at one end-to theend a of the retort opposite the discharge end and connected at oppositeend to the well at a point midway the height of the latter, an

exhauster'c'onnected with saidpi e, a super;

' feedin coal to the retort, a well for receiv heater including. heating tubes,-a ranch-line v connecting the pipe, at a; point' between the exhau'ster and thewell, with said superheater,- a-pie for conveyin the gases vcirculatin on t e outside of e tubes of said super eater to the retort heating means, a

hopper in the upper art of the well; means connecting the. well low "the" hopper, with the'jtj 'ibe's of the superheater, and means connecting the tubes of the su ferheater withthe well at a point above the opper.

- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand inthe presence of twofwitnesses. 4 ALBIN BERTHOLD HELBIG. Witne sesfi GEORGE MELIEG,

REsrfivnz DE PENGA. 

